Lush Behavior

On our way back from Madrid, I went a little crazy at the airport with the duty-free wine. I was just really excited to see bottle after bottle with Spanish littered all over the labels. I wasn't as interested in the wine as I was in keeping the bottles as a souvenir so I started perusing the cheap/on sale wines with the prettiest and most interesting labels. I ended up picking out three bottles and had to carry around a drawstring plastic bag that clinked and clunked and made me scared I'd shatter the bottles and slice something (or someone) up. I ended up grabbing whatever sweaters and shirts were easiest to pull out of my bag to wrap around the bottles.

After that experience, I started researching a chicer way to transport my duty-free goodies. Enter: WineSkin. A cute little bottle-shaped, bubble wrap-lined plastic bag that seals to prevent leaks from spilling out into your bag. The bags are meant for one time usage (hence the seals) but if you're frugal, like me, then you don't have to necessarily seal the bottle and you can reuse it. I tend to think the purpose of the seal is more for bottles you want to pack in your checked luggage or souvenirs that are being mailed to your relatives and friends. You can buy a pack of two for around $10.

If you're headed somewhere, like California or Italy, where you know you're going to buy some amazing wines or even if you just enjoy getting your booze at duty-free but you are unwilling to pay for a WineSkin, you have some options. If you're creative and want to be more MacGyver-ish, then the next time you get your hands on some bubble wrap, save it and set it aside for your next trip. Lay the pieces flat on the bottom of your bag where it will take up virtually no space. Also bring a gallon-size zip-top bag so you have somewhere to seal up your nicely wrapped bottles. If you don't have any bubble wrap, pack some big, thick socks and slide the bottles into the socks before you pack them into the zip-top.

Salud!